www.wjpps.com 5988 Killedar et al. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF MEMECYLON UMBELLATUM ROOT EXTRACTS Suresh Killedar*, Harinath More, Gourav Shah, Suryakant Gaikwad Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Kolhapur, India (MS)-416013. ABSTRACT The objective of this study to find out the DPPH scavenging (antioxidant) activity of dry extract of Memecylon umbellatum root obtained by various solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol and chloroform water (IP). The in- vitro free radical scavenging activity was recorded by DPPH method using various concentrations of dry extract in distilled water (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 20µg/ml) against blank with ascorbic acid as a standard in same concentrations. From among the extract the acetone extract showed maximum 95.770±0.042% antioxidant activity at 20µg/ml while petroleum ether shows minimum 5.290±0.0482%. The IC 50 value of acetone extract was found to be 10.44±0.0846µg/ml as compare to standard ascorbic acid 3.76±0.0856µg/ml. By using Graphpad Instat 3 software paired t test of acetone root extract exhibits significant results (p<0.05) compared to standard ascorbic acid. In future it may found as a main source for dietary antioxidants and nutrient. KEYWORDS: Memecylon umbellatum, DPPH reagent, Antioxidant activity, IC 50 . INTRODUCTION Now-a-days world moving faster and every technology and service came in a nutshell of single word ‘globalization’ but this fast moving world brings very unhealthy and unhygienic lifestyle of fast food, 10-12 working hours, a diet which is lack of nutrients. Ultimately this all results in the increased oxidative stress in normal routine life of a human being. The oxidative stress causes various physiological and psychological disorders some common examples are atherosclerosis, heart disease, ageing, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, nervous disorders and others. [1, 2] To regulate the disorder the helping hand came out in the WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES Volume 2, Issue 6, 5988-5996. Research Article ISSN 2278 – 4357 Article Received on 21 September 2013, Revised on 23 Sept 2013, Accepted on 30 November 2013 *Correspondence for Author: * Dr. Suresh G. Killedar Asso. Professor and Head, Department of Pharmacognosy, Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Pharmacy, Kolhapur-416013, Maharashtra, India. sureshgk_64@rediffmail.com s1gourav@gmail.com